Dear Family:
Thanks for your efforts to come to breakfast on Monday morning. Thanks Scott for making the arrangements.
We arrived at the MTC at about 10:30 in a light snow storm. There are about 40 couples and 4 single sisters in our group. There are 4 couples going to South Africa--1 to Durbin, 2 to Johannesburg, and us (Cape Town). In the group of 40, over half are CES and the other half to various other assignments.
Mom got her last shot today which completes our medical stuff.
In the mornings we are in class from 8:00 until 11:30, learning everything from preventive medicine to the missionary lessons from Preach My Gospel. So far we have covered the Restoration of the Gospel and The Plan of Salvation. After a little more discussion in the afternoons, we prepare a lesson outline and then go back to our room to meet with a church service volunteer who is acting the part of an investigator. We give them the lesson we prepared earlier. We are learning a lot on how to teach emphasizing the basics, using simple vocabulary, and inviting them to specific actions such as praying to know that Joseph Smith indeed is the Prophet of the Restoration.
On Tuesday evening we went to a devotional in which Brother Callister of the Quorum of the Seventy spoke as well as his wife. She gave good advice on feasting on the scriptures during our missions. He gave some specific ideas on how to read the Book of Mormon more effectively, including reading it slow, reading it out loud, reading it in the morning when our minds are active, and reading it with a pencil in hand to write down impressions. It was announced that there were 1600 missionaries there, which is quite low because of the holidays.
Today we had to get out of the main chapel "cry room!" a bit early so the new missionaries (about 300) could get in. They still have the sign on the left front which says "Family Exit" and the sign on the right front which says "Missionary Exit". Some things in the church never change!
We are happy and are enjoying the MTC experience very much and feel the spirit.
We are right now at a UPS Store using their computer, and don't know when we will have access again. But we will call each of you kids on the phone before we leave.
Scott, have you called Key Bank and got clearance to access our account online?
Carol and Al, we will leave the car in the parking lot just north of the main entrance to the MTC. It is the Senior Missionaries parking lot, so if you have any questions, ask at the front desk and they will know where you mean. We will call you on the phone to confirm this.
We love you all. Keep us in your prayers, and you are in ours,
Elder and Sister Allen
Allen News Central
This is the blog for the family and friends of the Stan and Karen Allen Family. This blog was launched on 1/1/2008 when Stan and Karen left to serve a mission in Cape Town, South Africa.
9 comments:
So glad you are enjoying your mission experience so far! We're back in school and the children were SO ready for it. Christie finished her Indian project (I'll post pictures later) and now she has another one to do--a Sun, Moon, Stars project that will also be entered into the Westbrook science fair. I don't remember doing this kind of stuff in third grade! Not much else is new. Enjoy your final days in the MTC before you're off to Africa!
Regarding bank stuff...I talked to Key Bank and they are looking into it. If I need to reset passwords or whatever, I will let you know.
One of the memorable things that Julie wrote home when she was in the MTC was a reference to a movie--Groundhog Day. The main character, an egotistical weatherman, felt that the weather forecasting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil had more credibility in predicting the weather and he hated it. Unfortunately for the weatherman, when he shared with his viewers how much he hated the "rat", he was cursed with a life of living and re-living over and over again Groundhog Day. Just has he learned how to cope with the same schedule day after day after day, missionaries learn how to make each day in the MTC just a little different even though the schedule doesn't.
We are so excited to hear that you are doing well! What a adventure it will be...and I can't help but think and feel that you are both so faithful and courageous.
Thank you for your examples to our family. We love you!
My Dad hopes that you will have a fun time. My Dad will also miss you. I will miss you,dear Grandma and Grandpa. Savannah will miss you too.
Love, Katy
I'm glad you are wearing white shirts.
Hi ya'll! It was interesting to hear how the MTC has changed, but yet the same too. Love you
Hi Family. Thank you Scott for setting up the blog.
Hi Elder and Sister Allen, That was our name, too, funny thing. Good to hear your first week went well. They really put you through a lot information and expect you to produce, right? Andrew was here this past week. It's always fun and interesting, to have him around especially to hear his political views on the Iowa primaries. Love, Janet
From David, Did you find the MTC stimulating? I have thought since we were there that every RS sister should spend one week of her life at the MTC. They introduced a missionary from Blackfoot and it reminded me how many good missionaries have come out of Blackfoot and like small towns over the years. Love Dave
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